Just a Little Fluff
by Anya Somers
Summary: Sisters Stella & Roxi take a little trip to Maine to visit with their aunt & the Winchester boys. Cas too.
1. Chapter 1

The Impala gurgled up the steep driveway, winding its way to the large wooden cabin at the end. The word 'cabin' was not exactly the right word to describe the house. It loomed over the Winchester Brothers, its size larger than most one family houses back in Kansas. But it still had that woodsy, rustic cabin feel, with all the luxuries of home.

It was two stories high, built into a mountain ledge so that the basement also walked out onto the back lawn. The main floor had a kitchen and dining space, a living room, and a bedroom, and separate full bathroom. Upstairs were two more bedrooms and a full bathroom. The basement consisted of a garage type storage room, a utility room, another storage room, and another full bedroom and bathroom. When the boys pulled up, Jayna was waiting on the wide decking that stepped out from the first floor living space. Sam and Dean's favorite teenagers, Roxi and Stella, came barreling down the hill, wrapping both brothers and Castiel in full body, leaping hugs.

Sam called up to Jayna, "this place is gorgeous."

"Just you wait Sam Winchester. You haven't seen the best part." Jayna cooed, setting off to join the welcoming committee.

Jayna made her way through the house, and opened the doors to the basement to greet the boys, but before she could get through the doorway, a behemoth of a canine pushed past her, rushing into the Sam's legs, nearly knocking him over.

"Sam." She said formally, "Meet Chewbacca." Sam let out a laugh from deep in his belly, squatting to meet the dog face to face. Its head was bigger than Sam's and had the appearance of a cinder block wrapped in brown fur. He had a black muzzle, eyes and flopped ears. The skin on his face folded over in a few wrinkles around his eyes and nose. "He is a big softy." She said in response to Dean's hesitation. Chewy was a purebred bullmastiff of 130 pounds of pure muscle. He was the color of beach sand during a sunset on a humid day; tan, beige and rust all at the same time, with a white almost heart shaped marking fading across his thick broad chest. "He is perfect." Sam whispered into the dog's ear as he grabbed the dog by the face, and scrunched it up with generous affection.

"This is quite a house, Jayna." Dean surveyed, "Tea Leaves going well for ya?"

Jayna smiled at the brother's teasing, "Pretty well. I have a few fairly prominent clients that are very generous. I actually inherited this from one who passed fairly recently." She shook her head at the notion.

Dean leered at her suspiciously, "Convenient."

She ignored him, walking right past him, to Sam, pulling him away from the dog long enough to wrap her arms around the taller brother. He buried his face into her brown hair, letting her sweet citrus perfume envelope him in nostalgia and comfort. She had a way of making things feel like home, warm and safe. He knew it had something to do with her psychic and telepathic abilities, that she very possibly projected this energy upon him. Strangely enough, he didn't mind it much.

"And you…" Roxi grabbed Dean by the hand and led him towards the garage doors, "wait till you see what we got!" Dean shrugged as he allowed himself to be pulled away. Roxi nudged towards the doors, Dean hefted them open with ease.

His mouth widened into a broad toothy smile that they didn't see often enough. "Oh. Oh. Oh." Was all he said, his expression giving much more than his words.

Two gleaming four wheeled all terrain vehicles. Honda FourTrax Foreman, one was camouflage green and back, the other red and black, both with roll cage bars on the front over the engine and in the back. 475 cc liquid cooled, single cylinder engine, electronic start, 5 speed drive train with reverse, dual hydraulic brakes. Powerful enough and set seating for two riders each. They were beautiful. Dean circled around each one - pointing out to Cas, who followed behind him the ever eager student, "By orienting the crankshaft front-to-back in the chassis, they route the flow of power straight to the wheels without any detours, reducing power train friction and putting more grunt to the ground." he paused, looked at the wheels, "These wheels can handle any terrain, including the steep mountains around here, and including any level of mud that would usually sink regular tires…" He sighed, "I'm in love."

The girls laughed at the Winchesters' candor, they both were. In love that is. Sam with Chewbacca. Dean with the quads.

"Let's get you settled and fed." Jayna announced, Dean's ears perked up at the mention of food.

The girls had already settled in the smaller of the two rooms upstairs, their belongings scattered this way and that. The basement bedroom wasn't quite set up yet. It was merely carpet and walls, no furniture. The main floor bedroom was obviously Jayna's. It was more personally decorated and her energy filled the room. Zeke the cat curled up, nonplussed on her bedtop. Upstairs, both bedrooms had two beds, one with an additional single bunk.

"You can either share a room, or sleep on the couch." Jayna offered.

Cas said almost deadpan, "I do not need much sleep." Back in the day when he could rely on his own grace keeping him going, he needed none. But on borrowed grace, he tried to rest his vessel regularly.

Dean stole an incredulous glance at the angel; he was used to the angel in his room, usually "watching over him." Jayna shrugged, "You can camp out in the basement, too. I can blow up an air mattress or something… I am planning on hiring a groundskeeper or handyman of sorts to live here, especially in the winter. I don't think I will be able to handle the winters up here. The room downstairs will be for him."

It was late May, as it was, and it was still fairly chilly. Summers in this portion of Maine were very temperate. You could get away with shorts and a t-shirt on the hottest of days, but mostly at night, you donned a sweater and pants. But Winter. Winter was a drag. Feet upon feet of snow, and wind chill that cut through the best of heavy coats. Jayna's house was in the mountains, and there was a steady skiing, snowboarding, snowmobile business in the winter. In fact the trails that they used for ATV riding were also used for snowmobiling once the ground was covered. Jayna toyed with the idea of renting the house out, especially in the winter for the ski business. It would be a great second income to help with maintaining the house year round. She could visit it regularly as a vacation home away from home whenever she felt the urge for rustic woods and warm fireplaces. Jayna had not sold her place in Key West, not being willing to let that property go completely. She knew she would miss the tropical weather, and the people who made her feel like family when she was down there. She was very active in the LGBTQ community there (which was larger than you would expect), helping plan lots of Galas and Fundraisers with her friends in the community. Not to mention, Key West was very good for her actual business - tarot readings and the like. The tourists ate that stuff up, and she had had a very sought after spot on Mallory Square for the daily Sunset Celebrations. She had doubts about a flourishing psychic business in Bethel, Maine.

They ate a satisfying and delicious meal of steamed lobster that they had picked up at a local bait/hunting market, and baked potatoes and salad. The girls coaxed everyone into playing board games that they seemed to make up the rules as they went along. The night was uneventful but relaxing, and full of laughter. Dean collapsed onto his bed nearly fully clothed, asleep before Cas had enough time to follow him up the stairs. Stella and Roxi took to their room, Sam and Jayna could hear them whispering between their laptops before finally falling asleep.

"How about it?" Jayna interrupted Sam's silence motioning to a DVD in her hand, Jack Nicholson's maniacal sneer glossing the cover, "We are in Maine, ya know. (Stephen) King's home."

"The Shining?" Sam laughed, and added enthusiastically, "YEAH, let's do it." Jayna also had "IT" but she was not about to suggest the nightmare of Pennywise the Dancing Clown to the closeted Coulrophobic. It didn't take long before Sam realized that Chewbacca loved being a human pillow, allowing Sam to lie on the floor with him, with his head perched on the dog's torso. Sam didn't even make it to Danny meeting the ghost in the hotel room before he was snoozing himself.

It was only in the morning, when Jayna emerged from her own bedroom to let the dog out and feed him did Chewy move - and sent Sam's head clunking to the floor with a loud groan.

"Rise and Shine sunshine!" Dean erupted as he galloped down the stairs, "_YOU_ didn't come to bed last night." He winked mischievously. Sam's disheveled clothes, and the lump of a blanket on the floor told the true story, "Damn, you got couched?"

Sam mumbled defensively, but Dean ignored him as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "The girls and I are going quadding. You in?"

Sam stretched up to the ceiling, showing just a glimpse of his abs beneath the hem of his shirt. Cas entered the room wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a foodie. "You look adorable." Jayna smiled at the angel, kissing him swiftly on the cheek. Cas squinted at her, not exactly sure what the compliment meant, Jayna sighed, "You are always in that coat and shirt get up; this is different. Cute." There was a rumble from upstairs, music blaring, the girls were awake.

"There is only room for 4." Cas announced.

Jayna offered, "I was planning on going for a little hike with Chewbacca, whoever gets left behind can come with me."

"I am going quadding." Dean announced defiantly. And it was already clear the girls were going.

Sam sighed with a genuine smile as he scrubbed at Chewbacca's broad head affectionately, "I would love to go for a hike."

"good. It's settled, Me & you, Cas. And those gorgeous girls. . . " he enunciated.

* * *

><p>Roxy and Stella both donned long black legging type pants; Roxi topping them with a zip up hoodie over a tank, zipped only part of the way; Stella with a faded cranberry plaid shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Sure it was May, but it was Maine, and there was always the chance that it would be chilly.<p>

Stella climbed atop one of the quads, scooting her butt all the way back to the rear of the vehicle. She smiled coyly at Castiel, knowing that Roxi would claim riding with Dean, not that she was complaining. She would have chose Castiel as her driver anyway. Dean was going over some basics with Cas, who merely replied, "I think I can handle a four wheeled all terrain vehicle."

"You have to be aware of the vehicle beneath you Cas, there's a balance that…" He tried to continue.

But Cas leered at him as he slipped in front of Stella. Stella could not help but beam as she wrapped her arms around his middle. "I trust you, Castiel." she said proudly. Cas nodded acknowledging her words, and casting a little spite towards Dean.

Dean raised his hands defensively, "Ok. Ok. You're the angel of the Lord." he muttered with a touch of false enmity, sliding himself on top of the other quad. His legs bowed perfectly around the chassis of the vehicle.

Fire flushed from Roxi's belly up to the tip of her head as she hefted her leg over the body of the ATV, sliding her body along side and behind Dean Winchester's. Dean pushed the ignition button, and the quad revved to life, vibrating beneath his and Roxi's legs. There were handles at either side of Roxi, right next to the seat. She thought twice about their existence, and decided quickly she would not be using them. She gratuitously slid her hands across Dean's torso, feeling the sinews of the taunt muscles under her fingertips. "Somebody's been doing some core work." she quipped quickly into Dean's ear. A blush threatened to rise into his cheeks, but Dean forced it away with a raise of his eyebrows and a hint of pride. It was kind of nice having his hard work noticed. Sam was always the fitness, work-out freak. But ever since his Demon Dean days and that fiasco that left him physically and mentally hindered, he felt an inclination to keep his engine well tuned.

"You may hold onto the hand grips, or on to me." Castiel instructed Stella, even though she was already latched onto him. "You will find that switching may be helpful, depending on the terrain."

Jayna laughed from the sidelines, herself sitting on the lawn, attempting to tie her hiking boots. Sam claimed she wasn't getting them quite tight enough to 'support her ankle', and he took the laces from her, pulling her foot onto his knee, tying them himself, "Sometimes, if you are attached to the driver, you will feel their body's reactions to the path. And then you can react accordingly. If they are pulling to the right, you know to pull to the right. That kind of thing." Stella and Roxi both nodded to their aunt, accepting her advice, but also enjoying the fact that she was basically saying to hold onto those hotties!

* * *

><p>The trail was meticulously maintained in spots. In others, it was clustered with divots, rocks, tree roots and more mud than either girl had ever seen, and that included the mud wrestling matches at college during homecoming week. Both girls were grateful for their long pants, as they were splattered with mud and water up to their thighs. Dean's jeans were caked brown, and Castiel's weren't much cleaner. Castiel was right. When they were on a straight away, when the path was cultivated and smooth, Stella leaned back, and held onto the hand guards. But when they hit the rough, she held onto Cas's torso for dear life. Her body bumping up against his involuntarily, as she gripped him close, and paid close attention to which way he was pulling his body so she could mirror his movements with her own.<p>

Roxi kept her body glued to Dean's back, squashing her bosom between them, grasping his torso fiercely close to hers. She couldn't help but think that he didn't seem to mind.

* * *

><p>The sky was a clear clean blue. Microsoft blue, Stella thought, laughingly to herself. The sky was empty and clear for decades until reaching the upper levels where the clouds hung, high and white. The clouds were distracting. There was a mixture of thin, wispy strands, like ringlets or curling lock of hairs. Or a horse's mane. Pure white. (Cirrus, Stella thought, remembering studying cloud names from elementary school)<p>

These dissipated into white patches and tufts stretching out in a sheet of layered cloudlets. Tiny squares of white clouds, in organized rows, like they were set out individually by an angel with OCD. This thought amused her, seeing that she was sitting right next to a bonafide angel of the lord, not a winged caricature cherub of her youth. The clouds were so white, and did not cast shadows on each other like their lower hanging brothers, but they dissolved at the edges again into the cirrus strands.

Stella sighed heavily, a smile frozen on her face. They had taken a break, Roxi had to pee. While her sister disappeared into the thicket to squat behind a tree, Stella plopped down on a dry patch of fuzzy grass, instructing Castiel to follow. She knew she had taken liberties with lying with her head upon his lap, but the angel didn't protest, he just sat there, receiving her head as if it were only natural. He even picked some grass out of her hair. It was nice. Even Cas said, "This is nice." his voice was a little monotone, and unemotional when he said it, as if it was just a matter-of-fact, but he still said it. "This is nice."

"Clouds are amazing." she finally uttered. Castiel perked up, his interest turned.

Castiel responded, "Philosophers and scientists have spent a lot of time on them considering that they are only visible masses of liquid droplets." Stella held back a chuckle at the angel's guileless blunt observation, but Castiel then added, almost to correct himself as he stared up at the smooth transitions from cirrus clouds to cumulonimbus and back again, the clouds moving so gently that it was barely noticeable and seamless, "They are amazing."

"Artists try to hard to recreate the awe that we feel when we look up into the sky. To duplicate the shadows, or lack of shadows, the whiteness, or grey. To somehow, replicate what we are seeing when we look up."

"John Constable's works are particularly impressive." Cas threw into the conversation, dropping the name like he was an old friend, "or more abstractly, Georgia O'Keeffe…."

Stella nodded, acknowledging the angel's art appreciation, "But none can capture the actual feeling of looking up into the sky, and seeing it with our own eyes, and knowing that the true artist is actually … well,... God." she hesitated, "and all the others are simply trying to copy His own work."

Cas pondered this for moment. His hand idly smoothed down stray strands of Stella's windblown hair. His mouth in a straight line, reticent. He pushed the urge to correct her (pointing out that it was elements in nature that caused the clouds 'visible liquid droplets') aside. He knew that the girl's image of God painting the sky with his own set of ethereal sublime paintbrushes was waxing philosophical, and so, he savored the portrayal. "It is … amazing. God … (he hesitated at the word) is a wonderful artist."

Stella stole a glance up into Castiel's face, to discern if he was placating her. His blue eyes reflected the color of the sky that haloed his face. His face was soft, open, his eyes shielded only slightly by his lids, his forehead creaseless, and unfurrowed. She watched him as he watched the clouds, both silenced by the majesty of the sights. "Yes he is." she whispered, not at all talking about the clouds.


	2. Chapter 2

Apparently there was a good amount of rain just a few days prior, as the paths, although still well-groomed and highly traveled, there were areas of extreme muddiness. Even puddles of standing water at times. But Dean and Cas navigated the quads around or through the water, not caring about the up spray of liquid muddy sludge that sprayed the quads and their bodies. And Roxi and Stella's bodies. At first the girls squealed and protested, but soon enough it was too late, and they accepted that their fate was to be covered in mud by the end of the day, and there was nothing they could do or say about it.

On the way back, they came upon a rather large puddle, later Dean would describe it as "a lake" because it was wider than the paths just as deep, something close to 20 feet across and 30 feet wide. One side of the body of water was flanked by tall sturdy trees blocking any circumventing in that direction. They had navigated through the other edge on the way through the first time. Plowing through the water and mud without consequences. However, traveling through it previously had changed the makeup of the ground and the water. They knew the ground beneath the water was mucked up and full of ruts from their first pass. Even the composition of the water was altered to be a thick muck of mud and sludge. Cas navigated along the edge of the other side, trying his best to keep the wheels moving through the water – as quickly as he could, in hopes to not leave tire gullies behind him. But the mud was too giving, and his tracks were dug in dangerously deep. Stella held onto Cas a little too tightly, hearing the exhaust pipe spurting out mud away from the vehicle in loud glugs, and she ducked her head into his back, shielding herself the best she could. The mud was too giving, and his tracks were dangerously deep. The front end of the quad dipped into the sludge, sending the mixture over the nose of the vehicle, repelling off of the metal plates under the quad, forming a U-shaped wave that crashed over the quad, and onto Cas and Stella. Once he felt the ground under the quad, he stood (Stella standing with him), punching the gas to send them safely out of the lake onto sturdier ground.

Wiping his goggles off with a swipe of his hand, and freeing his mouth from any mud, Castiel called back over 'the lake' to Dean, "Try not to steer into my tracks." He instructed, "Do not duplicate my path!"

Dean nodded, but Roxi didn't understand, she questioned Dean.

"We already made ruts in the ground from our first pass. The mud is very sticky and thick. If I drive in his tracks, our tires will get caught in the ridges, and we could flip." Roxi shrugged. She had seen numerous videos on the internet of quads flipping; it didn't seem to be a big deal. People rarely got hurt. Dean shook his head, "No, Sexy. If we flip, we are under the vehicle. These quads weigh over 800 pounds, and we will be pinned UNDER the quad. To try to pull the quad over, we will apply pressure, and that pressure will actually push the quad further into the mud."

All the color left Roxi's cheeks, "We will drown." She concluded.

"In four feet of water, with an 800 pound quad on top of us." Dean agreed.

Roxi looked across the lake. Her sister was ringing out her top, soaked to the bone, her hair caked with mud. Castiel handed her a bottle of water, which she accepted with a small smile. Roxi slide her arms around Dean's torso again, tucking her into his neck, "What do I have to do?"

Dean slide his gloved hand across hers, validating their physical connection. "Do what I do. If I lean, you lean." Roxi accepted this with a curt nod.

Dean swore out loud fiercely; it sounded like a battle cry. Blasting the gas, they heading into the water. The first few seconds were solid; they traveled forward, parting the mud as they moved. When the ground shifted beneath the quad, Roxi felt Dean growl deep into his throat. Something was wrong. The quad's wheel had just clipped Castiel's tire rut, but it was enough to gravitate the entire wheel into its spectrum. The vehicle began to pull down and to the left. Roxi's arms tight around Dean, she felt his body jerk, up and right. He stood, jumping both his feet onto the right side of the ATV, applying all his weight to counterbalance the direction the quad was tipping. She knew, instinctively, that this was what he meant by flipping. They were flipping, sideways, towards the mud. Without thinking, she followed, hopping her left leg onto the right peg of the ATV. A second delay would be catastrophic. The moment her feet hit side by side on the vehicle, Dean punched the throttle. The weight of the two riders caused the vehicle to sink down enough to catch solid ground, and balance itself out. Mud spraying in all directions, Dean hit the gas again, and in one swift simultaneous movement they balanced themselves back on the seats of the ATV and careened across the lake.

Stopping finally in front of Castiel and Stella, Dean whooped as he tore his helmet off. Roxi staggered off the back wanting to feel solid ground beneath her feet. Dean wouldn't let her take a breath before he scooped her up in his arms, tossing her into the air, spinning her around himself. He couldn't make complete sentences, he could only yelp and whoop. Castiel shook his head knowingly. "That could have been disastrous."

Dean winked, his smile crooked and mischievous, "but it wasn't."

* * *

><p>Navigating the wooded path was fairly easy for Sam and Jayna, with Chewbacca either taking up the rear, or galloping ahead to scout out their route. If the rocks were a ragged or the hills to steep, Sam would take Jayna's hand almost as if it were second nature to help guide her. At first she shooed his hand away, confident in her own hiking skills, but after awhile she let him lead her. It felt like something he needed to do. While Chewbacca adored Sam and circled him mercilessly, he never went far from Jayna's side, especially if Sam was a few strides away. Then, Chewy would circle back as if somebody had to stay with Jayna, if not Sam then the dog. At Jayna's insistence, Sam recanted a tale about one of his first hunting trips with his father. It rolled into a monologue about Bobby. Jayna had never met Bobby Singer, but she had seen him through Sam and felt the intensity of the bond between them. It was good for Sam to talk about him, so Jayna just listened.<p>

Bobby's death still very much lingered on the surface of Sam's emotions, Never quite going away. "I never knew my mother. Not really. And my dad, was well, my dad. So Bobby … Bobby is the only family Dean and I had."

"Dean did a pretty good job bringing you up, then." Jayna offered keeping her voice light and sweet, "No wonder he feels so responsible for you. And you for him."

Sam nodded; taking this thought in and could only add, "It gets complicated."

They stepped off of the beaten path onto a small wood paneled bridge that crossed over a trickling bridge. A few feet ahead, the trees parted into a river rushing over cascaded rocks. The river twisted from the left, curving, dropping off in front of them in several dips and pitches. Screw Auger Falls, so named because the river was twisted much like a screw, an auger.

Sam's words and thoughts dissipated quickly into the sound of rushing water. He eyed the constant current and crashing water against the rocks, a slow smile creeping into the corners of his mouth. Jayna looked from Sam to the River and back again. "Food for the soul," she thought, enjoying the gentleness of Sam's smile.

Taking advantage of the freedom of the water, Chewbacca danced through the river, the water only up to his legs in the rock terrain of the falls. He lapped at the cascading falls until the water shot up his nose, causing him to snuff and sneeze several times. Jayna called him over to her as she sat on the banks; finally clicking a lease on his collar, and planting the leash securely under her feet.

A quintet of teenagers arrived from the other direction, another walking trail. They giggled and teased each other, and took pictures of each other with their cell phones. Watching them amused Jayna. Sam dipped his hand into the fresh cool water, allowing the water to flow through his fingers. Everything seemed so normal. So calm. "Is this real, Jayna?" he asked, staring at the water tunneling between his fingers. "I feel like I am waiting for something to happen."

"This is real, Sam Winchester." Her voice spoke above the crashing falls. Or maybe it was just louder in Sam's head, he wasn't exactly sure, "You really are in Maine. This is Screw Auger Falls." There was an extraneous splashing, a teenager had stepped on the slippery rocks, slipping sideways into the river, soaked head to toe, fully clothed. Hearty depreciating laughter filled the air from his friends.

"There is no: scarecrow or hook man in the woods, preying on young lovers. There is no gollum swallowing up Dean and the girls in the mud. Chewbacca is not a werewolf, or a hellhound, or cujo demonic possessed familiar. My house is not haunted by a tortured spirit. "

Sam felt as he were stabbed in the back with a shard of ice as images flooded his mind. A bloody body, assaulted by a silver hook-hand. Chewbacca snarling and spitting over a mauled body, his jowls mottled with blood. Jayna's cabin engulfed in white hot flames, smoke billowing up into the night sky. Sam stood suddenly, his pulse quickened, his mouth cotton dry, his voice caught in his throat. Jayna, beside him, touched his shoulder, "the only danger is a gully that Dean is going to try to navigate through, that very possibly might be too steep for him. His quad could get angled too steeply, and he and Roxi will fall into the ditch, the quad toppling on top of them, too heavy for them to lift, and they could drown." Sam closed his eyes; he saw Dean and Stella, flipped on their backs, the quad on top of them. His brother choking on muddy water, desperately trying to push the vehicle of him as the mud formed into hand like vises, pulling him under.

Jayna's touch was insistent then, pushing her skin against his, bringing him back to her, "I'm not concerned, They have a fully charged angel with them, they will be fine." The visions left him as quickly as they came, leaving Sam feeling spent and free in the same breathe.

"Let go of it all Sammy." Jayna whispered. "You are safe right now. Dean is safe. Cas is safe. You are here. This is real." Her hand upon his authenticated that corporeal connection, skin to skin.

Sam blinked a few times thinking about the scenes that he had imagined. He and his brother had seen it all, was he now paranoid that there were monsters around every corner, beneath every bed, behind every tree? Could he not enjoy a simple day out with a sweet pretty girl? And a dog? Jayna intertwined her fingers with Sam's, letting her calming energy creep slowly from her to occupy all of Sam. He felt the pressure in his skin dissolve into the crashing falls before him. He sighed heavily, idly petting Chewbacca's head. He hoped Jayna was right.


	3. Chapter 3

"I was thinking we would throw some steaks on the grill?" Jayna called down from the balcony type porch to the crew out on the lawn. She slid her chair into position just steps away from the edge, perfect position to keep an eye out, but still settle into reading her novel. Sam and she had picked up steaks at the market on the way back from their hike, they were marinating in the kitchen. Chewbacca, the massive dog, paced at her feet, trying to decide if he wanted to be on the grass with the others, or by Jayna's side. Finally he laid down with a huff and a sigh, directly on top of her toes.

"Sounds great." Dean called back up to her, pulling the old faded football from the seemingly bottomless depths of the Impala's trunk, past the salt, rope and  
>various weapons. Sam smiled, he had picked out the steaks and baking potatoes himself, knowing it would please his brother. There was pie for dessert, too.<p>

Jayna lost herself in the battered pages of her paperback for what seemed like a few fleeting minutes, but was probably more like an hour. The sun was edging its  
>way towards the horizon. The sky was layered with pinks, reds, and purple. The grass and the forest behind her was haloed with the shadows of tiny gnats and no-see-ums (that's what her grandma called them) buzzing up from their daytime slumbers. She cast a glance towards Stella and Roxi; they might want bug spray soon.<p>

The girls had a little tussled look around their edges. Their hair slightly loose and tangled. A grass stain on the knee. They were playing touch football with the boys. Sam and the girls versus Dean and Castiel. Jayna couldn't tell who was winning, but there were a lot of instructions and tips from Dean, who seemed to take on the role of coach for both sides. Cas tended to ignore him with a glaring, "I know what I am doing, Dean." Sam's laugh filling the evening air like church bells.

More than once, Dean jeered the girls, "keep your eye on the ball at all times"

Jayna pulled herself up to the edge of porch rails; leaning to get a better view. A warm feeling of nostalgia crept over her. If you could call it nostalgia. She knew that there would come a day when she looked back on this moment fondly, wistfully and sentimental. She memorized each breathe as if she clicked a picture. Saved into her brain for later.

Stella had the ball. She held it with what Jayna could only describe as a full mixture of expertise and complete cluelessness. Jayna cocked her head as she assessed  
>this. If Stella felt her eyes on her, she did not show it. Within a breath, there was a jumble of bodies. Cas, Dean, Stella and Roxi. Cas's body somehow crunching into Stella's. Jayna felt the maternal edge creep into her blood. I thought this was Touch Football she found herself thinking. There was a distinct sound of a body slumping to the ground that brought Jayna to her tiptoes, her knuckles white at the porch post. She couldn't much, a jumble of bodies. Cas stepped aside, Dean, too. Stella however, did not move. She was literally crumpled, folded in half. Time literally stopped. Jayna's breath caught in her throat for a second. But just a second. Out of the corner of her eye, just peripherally, she could see movement, Roxi, running. Dean and Cas gently grasped Stella's arms, attempting to ease her up off of the ground; she remained curled around her middle, around the ball. Sam ran to her side in an instant also.<p>

"I'm fine. I'm fine!" Stella erupted, "But…" she said with a mischievous gleam in her eye, "but really you should keep your eye on the ball at all times." Slowly, she opens her arms. Her empty arms.

Cas could only shrug under Dean's angry glare. Their eyes spun to Roxi, who sprinted into their devised end zone. Sam's voice blurted, full of laughter, between the two, halting the silenced moment, "Touchdown!"

"Son of a Bitch!" Dean screamed, his voice full of exasperation, and not a hint of humor; it didn't matter that the goal was scored, and the ball was dropped, he barreled after Roxi like she ate the last piece of pie; and she squealed in delight every step.


End file.
